16 days of activism against violence against women: 25th November-10th December

Laws are changing, but are attitudes towards abuse shifting at all?

Just this week a new piece of legislation will come into power meaning that it will now be illegal for someone to exercise coercive control over their partner. Controlling their partner through threats or restricting personal or financial freedom. Despite the positive step, online articles about the new law were filled with vicious comments undermining the law as ‘man-hating women winning’ and ‘bet loads of men will get locked up just for having an opinion’. These sorts of comments alone are worrying but also they shed light on wider issues in our culture’s attitudes to non-physical abuse.
Over these 16 days in particular, and everyday for some of us we remember: Worldwide, up to 50 percent of sexual assaults are committed against girls under 16, in the UK alone 131 women are known to have been killed by violent men so far this year this amounts to one woman every 2.5 days. We will not be derailed, we will fight and speak in solidarity for all survivors of abuse, regardless of gender but we will also remember that violence and abuse of women and girls is global, growing and going-nowhere unless we take action.

To find out about some specific events, vigils and protests marking 16 Days see our December newsletter, it’s free: http://eepurl.com/9fWZT